Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a multi-layer tracking area code assignment in a wireless communication network are disclosed. A controller node is configured assign a first code to a first group of access nodes located in a geographic area. A signal load of updates for the first group of access nodes is monitored by the communication network. The controller node determines a set of criteria for assigning a second code to at least one access node in a second group of access nodes. The second group of access nodes are located in the same geographic area as the first group of access nodes. The controller node assigns the second code to the at least one access node for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for enabling user equipment devices (UEs) to apply less attenuation than may be specified more generally for UEs served by a base station of a wireless service provider. The base station may operate on a carrier band, serving UEs that are subscribers of the wireless service provider as well as UEs roaming in the base station's coverage area from another service provider. To avoid uplink transmission power leakage across the edges of the carrier band, the base station may broadcast a message to all the UEs notifying them to attenuate their respective transmission levels. In response, a UE may determine whether or not it is roaming to a wireless communication network of a different service provider. If the UE determines that it is not roaming, it may then attenuate its uplink transmission power by less than an amount indicated by the message.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for managing access node neighbor relations. An application requirement associated with a wireless device in communication with a first access node may be determined. A neighbor reporting criteria may be calculated based on the determined application requirement. The first access node may then receive an identifier of a second access node from the wireless device. The second identifier may be transmitted from the wireless device in response to a reporting event triggered based on a first signal level of the first access node, a second signal level of the second access node, and the neighbor reporting criteria. It may be determined, based on the second identifier, if a communication link between the first access node and the second access node has been previously established. If not, a communication link between the first access node and second access node may be established.

Abstract: A method and system for managing capacity of a base station's air interface. The base station identifies a served user equipment device (UE) based at least in part on the UE being located in an area of overlap between coverage of the base station and coverage of another base station. The base station then increases an order of modulation of air interface communication between the base station and the identified UE, so as to help free up some air interface capacity. Further, in view of the possible decrease in reliability of communication due to the increased order of modulation, the base station may also invoke use of Coordinated Multipoint Communication (CoMP) for the UE to help improve air interface communication between the base station and the UE.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems to facilitate selection of a donor base station to serve a relay node (RN). In particular, a base station system (BSS) may include a plurality of base stations each operable to serve user equipment devices (UEs) and operable to serve an RN. The RN is in turn operable to serve UEs. According to the disclosure, a controlling entity may determine both (i) a type of content communicated between the BSS and UEs served by the BSS (BSS-served content type) and (ii) a type of content communicated between the RN and UEs served by the RN (RN-served content type). Based on both the determined BSS-served content type and the determined RN-served content type, the controlling entity may select one of the plurality of base stations to serve the RN and may cause the selected base station to serve the RN.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for a user equipment device (UE) to avoid being served by a base station that experiences a threshold high extent of change of the base station's coverage identifier. In particular, the UE may detect a threshold high extent of change of a coverage identifier of a first base station, and may responsively configure itself to avoid being served by the first base station. In this way, if the UE is being served by the first base station, then the configuring may cause the UE to trigger a handover from being served by the first base station to being served by a second base station. Whereas, if the UE is not currently being served by the first base station, then the configuring effectively blacklists the first base station, such that the UE avoids attaching to and/or handing over to the first base station in the future.

Abstract: A method and system for managing voice codec rate used for voice communication by a user equipment device (UE). In accordance with the disclosure, the voice codec rate will be established (e.g., set or modified) based on a consideration of what type or types of non-voice communication the UE will engage in or is engaging in concurrently with the voice communication.

Abstract: Wireless devices with similar air-interface conditions (e.g., signal strength, modulation and coding scheme, etc.) can be configured to function as relays. To select which wireless device(s) to pick to function as a relay on behalf of an access node, the type of data traffic going to/from these devices is examined. This examination is used to determine which wireless device to select as a relay. In other words, when several wireless devices are situated so that they have similar radio frequency (RF) conditions, the type and/or amount of traffic they are sending or receiving is used to determine which of the wireless devices to select to function as a relay.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing beamforming during carrier aggregation. It may be determined that conditions at an access node and a first wireless device meet a beamforming criteria, wherein the access node and the first wireless device communicate using carrier aggregation including a first frequency band comprising a primary carrier and a second frequency band comprising a component carrier. Data may be communicated between the access node and a second wireless device over the second frequency band, wherein the second wireless device is proximate to the first wireless device. Beamforming signal conditions may be determined for the first wireless device on the first frequency band and the second wireless device on the second frequency band.

Abstract: A transmit power level of a wireless device is adjusted based on an uplink interference to neighboring sectors caused by the transmit power level. The wireless device can estimate the uplink interference using a reference signal transmitted by each neighboring sector. The uplink interference is based on a loss of signal strength of the reference signal as measured at the wireless device, i.e. a path loss. A determination is made to adjust the transmit power level of the wireless device so as to improve a coverage area of the serving sector, without generating excessive interference in neighboring sectors. Consequently, a transmit power level increase is based on a function of the data demand of the wireless device, the interference caused to neighbors, and the load on neighboring sectors.

Abstract: Network nodes including relays and access nodes are configured to transport data packets by identifying the type of data packet and correspondingly compressing a header portion of the data packet. Operations described herein may be implemented in a network that is capable of transporting voice over LTE (VoLTE) data packets using the GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP). A unique value is marked to an IP header of the voice data packet, and the GTP headers may be mapped to a unique bearer that is different from a standard voice bearer used in the network. The compression uses a robust header compression (RoHC), which includes compressing a RTP header portion along with a GTP header portion using existing or new compression profiles.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system to help facilitate the application of service policy rules for client devices while reducing the amount of signaling between network entities is disclosed. In accordance with one example, the wireless network may evaluate the extent to which the service policy rules defined by the UE's service profile have been applied by the wireless network. Based on this evaluating, the network may identify a subset of service policy rules that have been applied to greater than a threshold extent by the network for the given UE. And in response to this identifying, the network may cause the PDP to provision the PEP, with the subset of service policy rules, rather than provision the PEP with every possible service policy rule. As a result, the PDP and PEP may refrain from engaging in excess signaling, and the wireless network, in turn, may enjoy reduced congestion.

Abstract: A method and system for managing uplink control channel communication by adjacent base stations. Adjacent base stations may programmatically work with each other to arrange for their respective use of different sub-carriers for scheduling their respective uplink control channel communications. Further, to help make more efficient use of all available sub-carriers, a given base station may schedule uplink traffic channel communication for one or more user equipment devices on the same sub-carriers that a neighboring base station is using for uplink control channel communication if those one or more user equipment devices do not report detecting the neighboring base station above a threshold level.

Abstract: A method of operating a communication system includes communicating data between an access node and a wireless device using carrier aggregation. This carrier aggregation includes communicating using at least a primary carrier and a secondary carrier. The communication system determines that conditions for the secondary carrier meet a beamforming requirement criteria. The communication system determines an angle of arrival of the primary carrier. Based on the angle of arrival determined for the primary carrier, beamforming is applied to the secondary carrier.

Abstract: A system is described for providing backhaul over an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON). The backhaul may be backhaul for EV-DO and/or EV-DO Rev. A communications. The system for includes at least one cell site. At least two base transceiver stations are located at the cell site. The base transceiver stations receive radio signals from respective mobile stations. A first one of the base transceiver stations provides a first backhaul signal, and a second one of the base transceiver stations provides a second backhaul signal. The cell site multiplexes these backhaul signals together onto an Ethernet passive optical network. In one embodiment, these signals are provided on different pseudowire connections within a single wavelength lambda on the passive optical network. In another embodiment, the signals are provided on different lambdas of the network.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems that may help a base station provide high-speed data communication under a protocol such as LTE or WiMAX, even when a GPS signal is not available to the base station. In an exemplary embodiment, a base station may acquire a high-stability reference signal via a subcarrier of a terrestrial broadcast signal, such as an FM radio signal, and may coordinate the timing frame transmissions with other nearby base stations, instead of relying upon a GPS signal for such functionality.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system to help manage latency and reduce unnecessary signaling in setup of fallback communications, such as circuit switched fallback calls for instance, by taking into account the load in various fallback coverage areas. When the load of a fallback coverage area is threshold high, signaling may pass to a serving network to cause that fallback coverage area to be filtered out of a list of fallback coverage areas that a base station of the serving network would provide to a served device, so as to help avoid having the device scan for coverage of that fallback coverage area.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining a carrier for a wireless device. Data may be communicated between a wireless device and a wireless communication network over a first carrier. It may be determined whether the wireless communication network provides a fallback protocol for switching the wireless device from the first carrier to a second carrier. The wireless device may be instructed to communicate with the wireless communication network over the second carrier when it is determined that the wireless communication network does not provide the fallback protocol.

Abstract: Device-to-device (D2D) transmissions by a wireless device may interfere with base station reception of other signals. To mitigate this interference, the wireless device estimates the path loss between itself and the base station. The path loss and the current D2D transmission power level are used to estimate the amount of interference the base station is experiencing as a result of the D2D transmissions from the wireless device. Based on the estimated interference experienced by the base station, the wireless device increases the robustness of the MCS being used and decreases the transmission power level by a corresponding amount. By decreasing the D2D transmission power level, less interference will be experienced by the base station. By increasing the robustness of the MCS, the impact of the reduced D2D transmission power level is mitigated.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling broadcast of system identification. A base station may broadcast in one or more timeslots of a control channel, as a System Identifier (SID) of the base station, a particular SID, but may broadcast in one or more other timeslots of the control channel, as a SID of the base station, a different SID. In addition, when a mobile station registers to be served by the base station, the base station may determine which slot(s) of the control channel the mobile station will monitor and may broadcast in the determined slot(s) a SID that may help to keep the mobile station from transitioning to be served by a different base station.